Raider football returns to FATV 
Wednesday September 01, 1999

By Kevin O'Malley
Staff Writer 


FITCHBURG -- It may not be ESPN, but at least it's live.

That's the attitude folks over at Fitchburg Community
Television have as they kick off their fourth year of
telecasting Fitchburg High School football.

The new season gets under way at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10,
when the Red and Gray collide with St. Peter Marian at
Crocker Field.

All the action can be seen live on Fitchburg Access
Television from the comfort of your own couch -- something
football fans in other parts of the country would die for.

FATV actually boasts what is believed to be the largest
package of live sports in cable access anywhere in the
United States. Other access channels must settle for taping
the events and broadcasting them long after they have ended.

"We only know of one other access station broadcasting live
sporting events, none to this extent," said Executive
Director Paul Wieland, who will also produce most of the
games. "It's very difficult to do live, depending on the
location of the stadium."

Luke Conry and Dave Svens return to the booth as
commentators, having worked side by side over the past three
years.

They will cover all six of the Red Raiders' home games,
which are played at 7 p.m. at Crocker Field. Future games
are against Milford on Sept. 24, Brockton on Oct. 8,
Westfield on Oct. 15, Wachusett on Oct. 29, and Algonquin on
Nov. 5.

"We get more reaction to this than everything else we do
combined," said Wieland. "Fitchburg is established as one of
the best teams in Central Mass. and they really get into it
around here."

At Fitchburg Community Television, they really get into
covering football, using four cameras and even instant
replay. They are also working on a plan to have a remote
truck by next year that will allow the use of slow motion
for replays.

"We aren't ESPN, but we have a lot of fun," Weiland said.

In addition to football, FATV has also telecast several home
Red Raider basketball games over the past three years, a
tradition it looks foward to continuing this winter and in
the new high school scheduled to open in Sept. 2000.

This year, FATV will also add live coverage of the
blossoming Notre Dame Prep School basketball team to its
schedule, having telecast them on tape delay last season.




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